Six things I'm thankful for
Happy Thanksgiving!
Happy Thanksgiving to those who celebrate! As is stereotypical usually done around these parts, I wanted to take a minute to talk about the things I’m thankful for this season.
This is by no means a comprehensive list, but I figured at least a few of you wonderful readers may have some downtime to fill today, so here’s some bathroom reading material.
1) The continuing, escalating absurdity of Nikola Jokic
The best keeps getting better. Jokic might be having his greatest season ever, an absurd thing to say about a three-time MVP, but I’m not here to talk about his resplendent stats (he’s currently first in rebounding, second in assists, and third in scoring while leading every advanced all-in-one stat known to man) or impossible passing vision (as much as I’d like to).
Instead, I’m thankful for how he continually does things I’ve never seen on a basketball court. Two recent plays felt worth mentioning.
First, there’s the outrageous hand-eye coordination required for this one-handed touch layup over and around three different Laker defenders:
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How many players in NBA history have tried that in a non-desperation setting? I’m sure it’s happened, but I can’t remember any examples.
And second, there was whatever the hell this was, a full-blown five-finger salute that sent a regulation basketball 80 feet and nearly through the rim:
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Have you tried to slap a basketball before? It’s not as easy as it looks unless you’re a yeti like Jokic (don’t ask why I know that).
When we think about athleticism, we typically think run-jump measurables, your Amen Thompsons of the world. But there’s an increasing belief in sports science that that view is too narrow. There’s more to athleticism than lateral movement and vertical leap. Jokic might be the strongest guy in the league, he’s one of the best-conditioned (seriously — think about the burden he carries playing in that Denver altitude), and nobody has better coordination or processing speed. I’m not saying Jokic is the best athlete in the league… but he’s a lot closer to the title than people think.